Bounty on Jeraxi-9 (Reserved)

I hold the keys to the world in my hands.  Not in my hands really, it's in my head.  But I do hope you get the idea.  Everything is controlled and run by computers.  Even back in the twenty-first century computers ran everything.  But now as we spread across the far reaches of space it is more than that.  Computers run everything but largely we have passed off control of computers to computers.  The first delves into the field of Artificial Intelligence were weak, awkward, clumsy.  No more than simple machines that pretended to be real.  And now?  Within the past hundred years such technology has accelerated at a rapid rate.  With yours truly at the head.  Designing A.I. is more than filling a machine with ones and zeros.  It is breathing life into a machine.  And I have always had a fond desire to play god.

I don't do science for money, fame, power, or to make breakthroughs in the ability to help or hurt people.  I am a scientist because I love it.  No more, no less.  But people always seem to have other motives.  Bribes, threats, Assassination attempts.  I have dealt with them all and I've grown tired of it.  Really gets in the way of the pursuit of discovery!  And so away I have gone, do please try not to find me?

-Dr. Astarian Mordi

This message was forcibly broad casted across the galaxy, and sparked a revolution within the people.  Science and industry exploded again in leaps and bounds.  But that was twenty years ago and through out it all great scientists have popped up repeatedly only to vanish in the wind.  The rumor is that the Galactic Government is picking them up to improve it's hold on the world and technology but little do they know....Astarian is still alive within the far reaches of space.  Waiting to be found, and waiting with a large bounty upon his head.

Name: Bendasha Shah (often goes by Bendi or Dasha)

Age: 22

Looks: Bendasha has caramel skin with swirls of iridescent copper and bronze.   Her hair and eyes are similar shades of shining brown.  Her coloring is due to her home planet which is rich in metal, most creatures from the planet evolved to blend in.  Another attribute from her species is a hairless, dexterous tail that can easily manipulate and cling things.  

Clothing:
Suit
Cut-out for tail
She wears this with cut-out leggings, boots, and a trench coat when she is in search of a target.

Powers: She is essentially a body snatcher. She has to be in physical contact with who or what she is inhabiting. Once she touches something she can take over their body and control it. However, their mind is still there, and with enough control they can make it extremely difficult for her to hold on and push her out. Her biggest advantage is surprise, if someone doesn’t know what is going on, she can do anything with their body, even have them kill themselves.  But the longer she holds a body the more likely that they will regain control.  It is possible for her to control multiple body's at once but it takes great control and is not something she has mastered yet.  This ability is something that her species can do, but it requires so much practice that few can do more than control an animal for a few minutes.  

History:  Before she was ever born, her planet was harvested for the profitable metals and other good.  The damage and pollution was so great that it caused all of the inhabitants to relocate.  Much of the species has gone extinct or interbred with others.  To be part of a race that has no planet is considered low class.  Bendasha's parents were children when they had to immigrate to a new planet, and her grandparents had to fight hard to keep the families from becoming homeless.  Due to their particular skills, it made them excellent criminals.  Bendasha grew up picking pockets with her tail, and learning how to posses others bodies to have them drain their bank accounts.  

Bendi always had an affinity for animals.  When she entered her teen years she found a real job helping out at an exotic animal zoo.  She could calm the creatures by slipping into their minds.  It was there that  she found her closest friend, Parvati.  

Her family was incriminated for many crimes when she turned seventeen.  They were able to buy a comfortable setting in prison, but they were all locked up save Bendasha.  She was not found guilty because one, she was underage, and two she had a real job.  The day after her whole family was locked up, she stole an exotic creature from the zoo, a state of the art spaceship, and enough money to buy a new identity and new codes and tracers for the ship.  

She found that she had a knack for hunting people down, especially with the help of Parvati who was a natural huntress.  Parvati would track and Bendasha would capture.  The pair were perfect and soon made a name for themselves in the bounty hunter community.  They were given the difficult cases.

Personality: Bendasha is a loner who makes few connections with actual people.  Due to her upraising she became rather unfeeling, and views people as an opportunity for profit.  She is merciless to her targets and her contractors.  No one would dare withhold a bounty from her because she is willing to go after them as well.  Despite traveling the galaxy, she is not an adventurer.  Her life is lived from one chase to the other, no exploration.  Her home is her spaceship, and that is where she like to be.  

Species: Indiri

Name: Parvati (Par)

Looks: (only one tail, and horns like the second picture not the first)




Powers: No powers, just the incredible tracking and hunting skills of a natural predator.

Personality: She is fiercely loyal to her mistress who rescued her from the confines of the zoo.  Unlike Bendi, she loves to explore new lands.  So much so, that sometimes she will prolong the capture just to spend time in a new land.  

Species:  Cautsul

Name:  Astarian Mordi

Age:  157 years young, looks to be in his twenties.

Looks:  

Powers:  Intellect, pure and simple.  He doesn't have any fancy powers, no magic wonder.  Ast has turned his intellect onto his own body.  Modifying it with cybernetic enhancements he is now faster and stronger than the average human.  In addition he has planted memory chips into his brain that hold an A.I. more advanced than any on the market.

History:  Ast has always enjoyed learning, growing up in a modest home he devoured the courses of study ahead of the pace of any one had ever done.  Papers began to pop up by the time he was ten.  When he became an adult he had already earned his PhD in astrophysics, a Masters in biology, chemistry, engineering, and more.

He pushed the bounds of science and research, and when he became a target and people wished him gone.  He vanished.  COnstantly he has popped up in history however, a new name, a new identity, then gone again before he could be found.  He currently hides on a small planet that is more junkyard than anything else.  It sits just beyond the edge of a heavily populated planet who believe that trash and junk should just be sent off the planet.

Personality: 'Science for science's sake.  But always for fun.'  Numerous times Ast could be quoted for that and it fits him well.  He always seeks more to learn, more to do, more to experience.  Simple things can turn into huge projects and large obstacles are pushed aside like they are made of smoke.  He is awkward when it comes to people, but endlessly enthusiastic over his work and the work of others.

Race: Human

"Tari check the levels of benzine and sulfer within the container for me."

Everything is running at peak efficiency, 20% sulfuric gas and 80% Benzine. Time until completion is seven minutes.

"Good. Shall we add Titanium to the frame along with carbon with a hexagonal structure....yes...should be good." The man leaned back from the computer as faintly glowing eyes roamed the screens before him. Behind him a machine clunked out its operations as it worked to keep all the set parameters in line.

With a groan he pushed off from the desk, chair abandoned as he wandered away from the workshop. Ast had started working within the hollowed out shell of a ship for a few years now. Jeraxi-9 was a planet made of junk. Finding ships, buildings, plants, people, and anything you could imagine of wasn't difficult if one knew how to look. And though it was difficult to tell, a sprawling metropolis was built within the junk heaps. And so as he gazed out from a window he heaved a contented sigh. This place had been perfect, supplies were readily available, people didn't ask too many questions, and it wasn't hard to get more space to work. He was coming to like the peace.

Bendasha wandered through the tunnels of the junk city. Three days she had been there, searching for her target. He was a scientist, so when she had arrived on the small planet she had done some research herself to find where the best supplies would be found. Now that she was in the proper sector, or at least what she thought was, she took out the picture of the guy she was hunting. Most often people where tight lipped when it came to giving information, not because they were protecting someone, but because they wanted to milk it for all it's worth. Bendi would never spare more than a coin, if it took more to open people up, she would have Par give one of her ominous growls.

One person who specialized in scavenging chemicals gave her a hint to his whereabouts. With a mask set over her face she she set out to find the junk ship he spoke of. Parvati possessed lungs that could breath breath in nearly any atmosphere, so she did not require protective gear.

She interrupted two disgruntled hermits before she found the right ship. After a few hard raps on the air-lock door she stepped back and waited. Par was crouched out of sight so as not to alarm the doctor.

Someone is at the door Ast. Shall I let them in?

"Of course Tari. Though...I wasn't expecting a delivery today..." He mused for a moment as he sat back down in his chair. "Ah well. It will be fine. Let them in." With a wave of his hand he gestured vaguely towards the front door for the A.I. to do it's work.

Tari's digital face appeared on a screen beside the door. A smile curved on its face as it surveyed the person with scanners and sensors. 'Welcome, I have been instructed to let you in.' It replied in a chipper voice as the first door of the airlock opened.

A small beeping sound drew Ast's attention and he grinned as his fingers began to fly over the keyboards. "Yes! This is the result we were looking for! Benzine crystalate mixed with the titanium and carbon with the sulfuric to help temper it...yes! We can use this."

“Dr. Bane?” Bendi called out, using the name the merchant had used for him. She stepped through the lab, surveying her surrounding. The only weapons she had on her body were pin sized needles that could stun a full sized grown man. It was hidden within the buttons of her coat. So many people had body scanners now days.

The guest is armed with stun needles. Within the buttons of her coat. But she is inside and on her way.

"Only stun needles? Kind of disappointing...well. Maybe she is extra skilled with them. No matter." He went to his machine and leaned over it, pushing buttons on a small screen that sat on top. "Check the polymer count, the degree of shearing, and the toxicity. IF we are going to use this I need to not have it blow up in my face or poison me."

She would have removed her mask no that she was inside but with all the chemicals in jars around her, she thought better of it. Following the sound of someone speaking, she rounded a corner into a better lit area of the lab. “Dr. Bane?” She asked when he came into view. He didn't look like he would be difficult to handle. He was roughly her height and not much bulkier. She had taken men twice her size with no problems.

"Hm? Oh! Yes. Hi. That's me. Come, come, come, come! You came right as my project is coming to a close!" Excitedly Ast waved her over while carefully pressing a few more buttons. Hurrying over to his main console he gazed at the translucent screens as information and data scrolled across three separate screens.

"Yes....yes....hm...A fault within the matrix at A15, A32, and F5....manageable and can be corrected with an increase in the sulfur substrate. Will have to test it of course and remake another sample with the changes. But yes this is good." The steady stream of words as his fingers flew over the keyboards.

Perplexed Bendi stood where she was and watched her target bramble on as he mashed on his keyboard. It would have been easy to grab him while he was clearly immersed in his work, but she held back. He said it was the end of his project, might as well let him finish. Tail swishing impatiently under her coat, she waited for the scientist to wrap up his work.

"You are nice and patient, I appreciate that. I have been working on a synthetic polymer that can improve the coupling links for amusement park rides. The goal is to keep it low cost other wise what developer will use it." As he spoke images appeared on a screen on a separate wall that showed news articles over the latest failure at some of the giant amusement parks in existence.

A few more taps and he leaned back. "That is perhaps the best I can do for now. The machine will create a new version with my edits. Compile the data then send it along to developers and manufacturing plants." He bobbed his head for a moment then spun in his chair to lean forward with hands clasped together. "Now what can I do for you?"

She blinked at him for a single moment, overwhelmed by his constant chatter over meaningless drivel. In the next moment her mind caught up to her and she went over the plan she had cooked in her head.

“My father sent me. He said you were the best doctor around… Although you don't look like a doctor...” She glanced around uncertainly at the lab. “My little sister is terribly sick,” She pinched her tail under the coat to make her eyes water as she continued. “They can't tell what is wrong with her at the hospital. None of the tests show anything. So My father thought maybe you could help…” She finished with a sad flutter of her copper lashes.

"I have doctor in my title. Please, tell me the symptoms as best you can.". He snapped his fingers and Tari came to life on a pedestal in the center of the room. The hologram cocked it's head as it gazed to the woman, eyes seeming to peer through her to the core.

"Tests tell a lot, but I need symptoms. I can gather a few things here to help before we head out but I need to know Ma'am.". He leaned forward in his chair still watching her expectantly.

Bendi gave a glance to the hologram then turned her tear filled eyes back to the scientist. “I'm, not sure… I've been working while my father stays at the hospital with her. I'll I know is that she collapsed three weeks ago and hasn't woken up since. Her body is wasting away… She's only six..” She hugged herself and gave a small tremble.

She is lying Astarian. Tari's voice sounded within his head.

"Right. Well. I just need to grab a few things and we can be off." With a clap of his hands he stood and grabbed a backpack. He moved about his workshop and collected a few things here and there before deciding it was good enough. Placing his hand onto the pedestal that Tari had been continuing her observation the hologram vanished and a blue glow lit up the storage devices that rested against his jaw.

'I know she is quite probably lying Tari. But in the end...if she is telling the truth I can help. And if I can help I must go.' He informed the A.I. through their mental link.

"I'm ready." Ast declared with a smile as he moved over to the door.

“Thank you, thank you so much!” Bendasha gushed. “My name is Dasha Lahiri, you have the gratitude of my family, even if nothing can be done.” She made an effort to blink away her tears and give him a small gracious smile. “I have a hopper to take us there not far from here.”

"Right. So what is your sisters name? And you fathers?" He asked with his brow arched as he paused again within the airlock so it could cycle them out. Along the way he had grabbed a helmet and a jacket, donning both while within the airlock. The jacket was simply for warmth, and comfort. The helmet was more of a mask that clicked into place on his face just over his mouth and nose. One could be out on the planet without protective gear. But you couldn't breath oxygen out there.

“Parvati is my sister.” She answered without hesitation. When telling a lie, one had to be quick with the details like that. “My father is Devion Lahiri. We have no other family.” She fidgeted with her hands while waiting for the airlock to be ready, trying to make herself seem as young as possible.

"Parvati, a cute name." He replied with a nod and after the airlock fully cycled itself and the door opened. Taking a step out he took a look around then faced her. "You ready to lead on then? We should make haste!"

Bendi did not like to have people behind her, she was all too aware of what a person could do from back there. She agreed, though, knowing she would have back up soon. Par would have found a hiding place along the pathway they would take.

The alien cat was six feet long, with her haunches coming to Bendi's waist. She was wicked fast and strong and resistant to most forms of tazers or stun beams. Not to mention her skin was nearly impenetrable with knives or needles. Parvati was a force to be reckoned with.

He followed behind, fingers holding onto the straps of his backpack. His eyes were ever moving, a habit from running but also from just his life style. So many screens, so many different experiments. It was hard to know where to focus sometimes. And so he did his best to relax but Ast found such a thing difficult out here.

Her tail swished under the trench coat as Bendasha walked. Like a finger, the tip of her tail worked the needle free from inside the button and held it ready. They were a short way down the path when Par pounced the scientist.

The feline caught him in a roll, using her bulk to hold him while Bendi leaped out and stuck him in the leg, striking twice with her tail like a scorpion before she got it.

He grunted as he was tackled, arms raised to protect his face but it was only with a grunt that he felt a needle drive into his leg twice. "Ah....so you were lying....I just wanted to help......." He murmured as the toxin within the needle slowly made his head feel full of cotton until finally he fell asleep.